One of the first things we were told by our community life directors when we arrived in DC was to never, under any circumstances, plug our iPods into our ears when traveling around the city - mainly when walking. Public transportation is the heart and soul of Washington, D.C. and I for one was not going to violate some golden rule and put myself in danger.So I took this advice to heart, and although it leaves me a bit bored when I'm walking back from Union Station by myself, I am finding that personal headphones aren't even necessary when traveling by Metro or bus. Why?
People here have no concept of volume control on their personal music-playing devices. It’s the highest volume or nothing.
I am genuinely concerned about the eardrums of many of my fellow travelers, but their bad decisions are benefiting me. I was sitting on the bus coming home the other night, and sitting about two rows behind me was a teen girl with earbuds plugged into her head. The sound was a little distorted, but the entire way home, I enjoyed listening to Rihanna belting about "Umbrella"s and how she just got out of "Rehab." Unfortunately, the girl got off the bus before me - I wanted to scream: "Please, don't stop the music!"
But really, that girl will have more hearing loss than she realizes. Who knows, she could have "tough ears" or something, but is that really worth the risk? On the other hand, her future loss provides me with in the moment entertainment - you can't beat that.
It was Bon Jovi on the Metro. This guy was sitting directly next to me, and I could hear those rockin’ melodies as clearly as if the earbuds were in my own ears. Really spices up those Metro rides. Add in the flipbook-styled ads on the walls of the Metro tunnels, and the average traveler, like myself, has more entertainment between Gallery Place-Chinatown and Judiciary Square than they had ever imagined.
It’s his life. It’s now or never. He’s not going to live forever, so why preserve his hearing, right?
This problem has even followed me back to the apartments. I was in the library transcripting an interview for a profile I was writing and a fellow student was sitting down the table from me, audibly bopping to some Coldplay. He can viva su vida this way or however he so chooses, as long as he always plays music that awesome.
So consider this my thank you note/apology to all you headphone-wearing, iPod-playing, music-obsessive, volume-blasting, “I-can’t-sit-for-10-minutes-without-music” fiends out there:
I appreciate you. You provide me with entertainment on my short rides at no detriment to my own personal safety or to my future hearing abilities. Please continue to allow your sweet tunes to spill out from your earbuds and into the world around you. It gives me great pleasure while ensuring that I never have to carry my iPod around.
But I’m sorry that I’m so selfish and I take pleasure in your failings and future health risks.
And if you so happen to be traveling with me anytime in the near future, feel free to ignore me and turn up the volume. Give me some Beatles or Journey and you’ll have a happy girl.
Imagine all the people living with steadily decreasing hearing abilities. I wonder if I could work out some sort of system where I put in requests and donate a couple nickels toward their future medical bills? That's a very governmental, wise, unbiased agreement, I think?
Don’t stop believin’.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment